Penguins News

Letang Timeline

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang will miss at least six weeks after having a stroke last week, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manger Ray Shero. (Full release here).

The following is a timeline of the events following Kris Letang's stroke...

Wednesday, Jan. 29Kris Letang experienced dizziness and nausea in the morning. He and his mother Christiane flew with the team to Los Angeles. Letang did not practice with the team that afternoon.

“Kris had an episode on Wednesday morning,” head coach Dan Bylsma said. “We were having the Mothers’ Trip and his mother-in-law is a nurse and was there with him and he was fine, I guess. He wanted to go on the trip, got on the trip, we got to LA, he didn’t skate in the skate on Wednesday.”

Thursday, Jan. 30Letang skated in the morning for an optional skate with his teammates at Staples Center. On the advice from team doctors, Letang was held out of Pens’ game against LA Kings.

“We all saw him skate (Thursday) morning the day of the game,” Bylsma said. “Our team doctors felt something, enough to keep him out of the game in LA.”

Saturday, Feb. 1Doctors made an early diagnosis of Letang as having a stroke while the team is in Phoenix.

“We get to Phoenix and then that’s when the tests started, different tests, started to be done on Kris and realize that he did have a stroke,” Bylsma said.

Monday-Wednesday, Feb. 3-5Letang continued undergoing a battery of tests from doctors verify the diagnosis.

“Sent him home to Pittsburgh to have more tests and more tests, and that’s kind of what we’ve been going through the last 5 or 6 days,” Bylsma said. “He’s currently still being monitored.”

Thursday, Feb. 6Doctors concluded Letang suffered a stroke. The news was shared with a limited number of people in the organization.

“I heard some of the speculation. But really, at no time point until maybe (Thursday) afternoon, was there a certainty,” Bylsma said. “The tests kept happening and continued to happen. So we didn’t really feel like we had the ability to come out and say exactly what was going on.

“(Thursday) afternoon, we finally were at a point where we could come out and say something.”

Friday, Feb. 7In the morning the Pens alert the players and staff about Letang’s stroke. In the afternoon the team announces the update to the public.

“The players didn’t know, I think maybe one or two players were included (Thursday) afternoon by Kris,” Bylsma said. “So they found out this morning. Obviously they knew Kris was out and having some tests and other things, but there wasn’t any information out there. Today they found out.”